Otto Stolz wrote:
> Viewing a chess-board in plain text, I deem an unrealistic
> expectation.
Why? All one needs is a CJK non-proportional font:
１. Grid only, no shades:
+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
|♜|♞|♝|♚|♛|♝|♞|♜|
+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
|♟|♟|♟|♟|♟|♟|♟|♟|
+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
| | | | | | | | |
+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
| | | | | | | | |
+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
| | | | | | | | |
+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
| | | | | | | | |
+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
| | | | | | | | |
+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
|♖|♘|♗|♕|♔|♗|♘|♖|
+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
White to move and checkmate in 5 moves. (Sam Lloyd)
２. Shades only, no grid:
♜ #♞# ♝ #♚# ♛ #♝# ♞ #♜#
#### #### #### ####
#♟# ♟ #♟# ♟ #♟# ♟ #♟# ♟
#### #### #### ####
#### #### #### ####
#### #### #### ####
#### #### #### ####
#### #### #### ####
#### #### #### ####
#### #### #### ####
#### #### #### ####
#### #### #### ####
#### #### #### ####
#### #### #### ####
#♖# ♘ #♗# ♕ #♔# ♗ #♘# ♖
#### #### #### ####
White to move and checkmate in 5 moves. (Sam Lloyd)
３. Both shades and grid:
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| ♜ |#♞#| ♝ |#♚#| ♛ |#♝#| ♞ |#♜#|
| |####| |####| |####| |####|
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
|#♟#| ♟ |#♟#| ♟ |#♟#| ♟ |#♟#| ♟ |
|####| |####| |####| |####| |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| |####| |####| |####| |####|
| |####| |####| |####| |####|
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
|####| |####| |####| |####| |
|####| |####| |####| |####| |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| |####| |####| |####| |####|
| |####| |####| |####| |####|
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
|####| |####| |####| |####| |
|####| |####| |####| |####| |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| |####| |####| |####| |####|
| |####| |####| |####| |####|
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
|#♖#| ♘ |#♗#| ♕ |#♔#| ♗ |#♘#| ♖ |
|####| |####| |####| |####| |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
White to move and checkmate in 5 moves. (Sam Lloyd)
_ Marco
